The HDDC Pilot-Feasibility (P/F) Grant Program is a centerpiece of HDDC activities with an important impact on future advances in digestive disease research. The P/F Program provides funding ($25 K for 1 year) that primarily targets young investigators in the process of establishing their independent research careers, but also allows established investigators to initiate innovative and promising pilot projects that could lead to substantial funding for new lines of research relevant to digestive diseases. The Specific Aims of the HDDC P/F Program are: 1. To support and encourage young and mentored investigators in digestive disease-related research who have not previously held independent awards (Type I Awards). 2. To entice accomplished investigators from other fields who are not currently focused on digestive diseases to apply new concepts and technical approaches to the digestive tract (Type II awards). 3. To enable established investigators already working in digestive disease-related research to initiate a substantial, innovative change in the direction of their research (Type III awards). The HDDC selects these projects through a rigorous multi-step process modeled on NIH study sections. Proposals are scored on the basis of innovation, scientific merit and the potential for future independent funding in digestive disease research. The success rate of PF awardees in obtaining subsequent grant support has been outstanding. Since 2006 45 investigators have been supported by HDDC P/F grants including 4 current grantees. Of the 41 previous PF awardees, 39 (95 %) subsequently won independent grant funding and all previous grantees but one are still engaged in digestive disease-related research.